By Barcelona fell to their first competitive loss under new manager Hansi Flick, dropping a 2-1 decision to AS Monaco in their UEFA Champions League opener on Thursday night.
The match took a dramatic turn early when Barcelona midfielder Eric Garcia received a red card in the 10th minute for a professional foul on Takumi Minamino. Monaco quickly capitalized, with Maghnes Akliouche scoring to give the home side a 1-0 lead.
Despite being a man down, Barcelona equalized through 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, whose goal made him the second-youngest scorer in Champions League history. However, Monaco’s George Ilenikhena netted the winner in the second half to secure all three points for the Ligue 1 side.
Yamal’s goal briefly gave Barcelona hope, but the numerical advantage ultimately proved too much to overcome. The Spanish giants, who had started their domestic campaign with five straight wins under Flick, struggled to create chances after going down to 10 men.
Monaco dominated possession and shots on goal, though Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made several key saves to keep his team in the match. A late penalty appeal by Monaco’s Folarin Balogun was overturned after VAR review.
The result marks a disappointing start to Barcelona’s Champions League campaign, a competition where they haven’t reached the semi-finals since 2019. For Monaco, the victory provides a strong foundation as they look to progress from the group stage.
This defeat raises questions about Barcelona’s depth and ability to compete at the highest level, especially with a congested fixture list ahead. Flick will need to regroup his squad quickly as they balance domestic and European commitments.
